The removal of sulfur compounds from gas and liquid streams is an important process in the hydrocarbon industry. Hydrogen sulfide, a common sulfur-based contaminant, can be removed by supported copper oxide adsorbents known in the prior art. Other sulfur-containing contaminants are, however, more difficult to remove. For example, heterocyclic sulfides, such as thiophene, cannot be effectively removed by prior art copper oxide adsorbents. Nor can heterocyclic sulfides be removed by distillation because they co-boil with desirable hydrocarbons, such as benzene.
Modified zeolites and metal oxides, such as alumina, are known in the prior art to remove heterocyclic sulfides by adsorption. However, in the case of acidic zeolites, the acidity of the zeolite support results in discoloration of the main stream and the shifting of the boiling range of the feed hydrocarbon fraction. In addition, silver exchanged zeolites have low loading capacities and deactivate easily due to changes in the oxidation state of the silver active sites. Finally, Cu+ exchanged zeolites have poor long term stability.
Copper-based adsorbents, including those derived from copper carbonate, are widely used in the hydrocarbon industry to remove contaminants by chemisorption. Copper-based adsorbents, however, are not effective in heterocyclic removal. Accordingly, it would be an advance in the state of the art to provide a copper-based material, and method of using same, for removing heterocyclic sulfur compounds from a hydrocarbon stream via chemisorption.